Cops: Teacher Had 'Secret' Thing With 11-Year-Old

Geraldine Alcorn allegedly planned to run away with her student
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 30, 2015 3:40 PM CDT
Cops: Teacher Had 'Secret' Thing With 11-Year-Old
   (Pittsburgh Police Dept.)

An elementary school teacher is in hot water after allegedly developing a secret relationship with her 11-year-old student, WPXI reports via Gawker. Geraldine Alcorn, 28, was arraigned last week in Pittsburgh on charges that include corruption of minors and child luring, and freed on $100,000 bond. She was also warned to keep away from the child, and little wonder: The Beechwood Elementary School teacher is accused of planning to adopt and "run away" with the girl, whose mom says letters in the girl's schoolbook had labels like "Things Ms. Alcorn and I can do" and "When we can do it." Police say Alcorn hid her phone number in the girl's math worksheet (by circling the relevant numbers) and even took the child to the teacher's Bloomfield home.

Pittsburgh Public Schools officials learned about an "improper attachment" and suspended Alcorn, who resigned March 2. But after Alcorn returned to school to pick up her belongings on March 13, the girl discovered "gifts and several letters, some encrypted, in her locker and desk," says a criminal complaint. "The letters, written by Alcorn, instructed the 11-year-old female to contact her." Police don't believe the relationship was sexual, and say that text messages between the two—including 2,400 in just two weeks—express a "deep love" on both sides. As for who's at fault, a local mom points to the school district: "Where are background checks of teachers?" she asks CBS Pittsburgh. "The district should better scrutinize these potential employees. It seems people just don’t care anymore." (This teacher was jailed for showing students a raunchy film.)

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